Undergarment



Oct. 26, 1948. F. N. MASON 2,452,479

' UNDERGARMEN T Filed Sept. 5, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frank NQMason,Charleroi, Pa., assignor ofonefourth to Robert 0. Mason, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application September 3, 1947, Serial No. 771,949

6 Claims, (01. 2-224) This invention relates to garment, and moreparticularly to an, undergarment adapted .toextend vjust below thewearers knees. I 'The usual type of mens undergarment ter- Initiates ashort distance below the wearers crotch. It permits the knees and alarge part of the thighsto come intotight contact with the tro sers whenthe knees are bent, as in sitting or squatting. This condition hasnumerous disadvantages. If the trousers are made of rough or coarsemateriaLthey tend to irritate the skin, particularly in warm humidweather when the skin is damp with perspiration, at which time they alsomay stick to the skin. Further, per spiration is absorbed by thetrousers, frequently discoloring them, obliterating their. pressedcreases, and contaminating, them with a disagreeable odor. Accordingly,trousers must be frequently cleaned; and dry cleaning is expensive. Toavoid some of, these disadvantages, the more expensive trousers aregenerally provided with a lining which is attached to the front portionQf each trouser leg and extends a short distance above and belowtheknee; but such linings are not available on most trousers, they are notreadi 1y. removable for washing, and they tend to ameliorate ratherthaneliminate the tages referred to. l

The foregoing disadvantages, however, can be disadvanan improved under--largely or entirely eliminated if the undergarment extends below thewearers knees,since the. undergarment acts .as. an absorbent lining forthe trousers and is separately laundered. While this fact. has long beenrecognized, such undergarments have not been "widely accepted, because,among other things, the legs of the undergarment tend to creep upwardand to be twisted about the wearers legs, resulting in binding anddiscomfort. While such undergarments have been pro.- vided with meansfor preventing this upward creep and twisting, those means either exertacontinuous downward pull on the undergarment which is uncomfortable, orthey bind theknee of the wearer when the knees are bent.

An object. of this. invention is to provide an,

improved form of undergarment, at least the lower portion ct which. ismade of relatively inelastic materiaL' and which is adapted to extendbelow the knees of the wearer andtobe there held in place withoutexerting a downward "pull upon the undergarment to. discomfort thewearer and without binding when his knees are bent.

Another object is to provide such an underarment that may be easily andcheaply manuiiactured and that is convenientto use.

A further objectis to provide such an undergarment that is adapted toact as a sock supporter.

In accordance with this invention a onepiece undergarment, or the lowerpart Of a twopiece undergarment, has leg portions which are adapted toreach just below the wearers knees. The leg portions have a considerablylarger circumference than the human leg, so that they will loosely coverthe legs. The lower extremity of each leg portion is provided with a hemor band, made of relatively inelastic material, which likewise is ofconsiderably greater circumference than the adjacent circumference ofthe human leg just below the knee. Within the circumference of the hemis disposed a relatively short elastic: tape having its ends detachablysecured to the sides of the hem. The tape is adapted to rest directlyagainst and to extend around the front portion of the wearers leg justbelow the knee and to draw the back and side portions of the hem againstthe back and sides of the leg. The garter-like combination of tape andhem will prevent twisting and creeping of the undergarment. withoutexerting a. downward pull thereon. The front part of the hem and theunolergarmentv material above it will beloosely disposed in front ofthe. wearers knee, which will effectively prevent binding of theundergarment, when the knee is bent. The elastic tape may be, providedwith depending. catches toen-- gage and support a. sock on the wearersleg- The preferred embodiment of this invention. is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, of which Fig. LL is a front elevation of the legportion of an undergarment made in: accordance with thisinvention, as itwould appear on a: human leg; F g. 2 is a side elevation. of the sameand 3 is a horizontal section along line III-III in Fig. 1-. a

Referring. to the drawings, a one-piece undergarment, or the drawers ofa two-piece undergarment, of otherwise conventional shape has al'egporti'on l adapted to extend just below the wearers knee. The legportion has a band or hem 2 at its bottom, and at least the hem,preferably the entire garment, is madeof relatively inelastic materialthat will fit the wearer's leg 3; very loosely. An elastic tape 4 of anysuit-- able material is disposed within the circumference ofthe hemandhas its ends detachably'secured to the sides of the hem by somesuitable means, suchas buttons 5 on the tape engaging button-- holes 6in the sides of the hem. The elastic tape is preferably long enough toextend around only a small portion of the wearers leg and isadapted" torest directly against the front of the leg and todraw'the back and sidesof the 11cm 2' against the back and sides of the leg as shown in Fig. 3.As aresult, the-hem and the elastic-tapetogetherform a. snug garteraround the leg-,iust below the kneeand above the outward swelling of thecalf muscles. Minor variations in the circumference of the human leg atthis point are accommodated by the elastic tape, and substantialvariations in leg sizes may be readily accom-.

modated by providing additional buttonholes l in the hem behind holes 6to adjust the size of the garter formed by the tape and hem. Both thetape and hem are of sufficient width to prevent any uncomfortablelocalized pressure on the wearers leg.

It is a feature of this invention that when the tape is buttoned inplace the front portion of the hem in the undergarment and theundergarment material above it are looselydisposed in front of thewearers knee, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which will prevent any bindingof the undergarment when the knee is bent. It is a further feature ofthis inventionthat while the leg portion of the undergarment iseffectively prevented from twisting or creeping upward on the wearersleg because it is held securely just below the knee, there is nosustained downward pull upon the undergarment to discomfort the wearer.

Depending from the elastic tape 4 are one or more, preferably two,catches8 adapted to engage a Sock 9 on the wearers leg; Since the sockis supported by the garter-like combination of the hem and elastic tape,and that combination snugly encircles the leg above the calf, the sockwill not exert, any appreciable downward tension on the undergarment.

It will be readily appreciated that undergarments made in accordancewith this invention may be easily manufactured, are convenient to use,and overcome. the disadvantages of previous similar undergarments. Inaddition, they space the trousersfrom the knees and thighs.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and construction of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I Iclaim:

1. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reachjust below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem'of relativelyinelastic material. in the lower extremity of each legzportion, and anelastic tape disposed within the circumference of each hem and havingits ends detachably secured at ,circumferentially spaced points. in thesides of the hem, the elastic tape being adapted to rest directlyagainst the front of the wearers leg, and to draw the back of the hemagainst the back of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hemand adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of thewearers knee. 7 p

-2. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted toreach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem ofrelatively inelastic material in the lower extremity of each legportionand provided with buttonholes in its sides, and an elastic tape disposedwithin the circumference of the hem and having its ends provided withbuttons for engaging the buttonholes, the elastic tape being adapted todirectly engage the front of the wearers leg and to draw the back of thehem against the back of-the wearers leg and to leave the front'of thehem and adjoining undergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front ofthe wearers knee.

3. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reachjust below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relativelyinelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg portion, anelastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem and having itsends detachably secured at circumferentially spaced points in the sidesof the hem, the elastic tape being adapted to rest directly against thefront of the wearers leg and to draw the back of the hem against theback of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hem and adjoiningundergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee,and a catch connected to the elastic tape and extending downward toengage a sock on the wearers leg.

4. An improved undergarment having leg portions adapted to reach justbelow the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relativelyinelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg portion andprovided with circumferentially spaced buttonholes in its sides, anelastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem and having itsends provided with buttons for engaging the buttonholes, the elastictape being adapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers legand to draw'the back and sides of the hem against the back and sides ofthe wearers leg and-to leave the front of the undergarment leg portionloosely disposed in front of the wearers knee, and a catch connected toeach end of the elastic tape and extending downward to engage andsupport a sock on the wearers leg. I

5. An improved undergarment having tubular leg portions adapted to reachjust below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem of relativelyinelastic material in the lower extremity of each leg'portion, anelastic tape disposed within the circumference of the hem, means fordetachably connectingthe ends of the tape to the sides of the hem at aplurality of circumferentially spaced points to accommodate legs ofdifferent sizes, the elastic tape being adapted to directly engage thefront of the wearers'leg and to draw the back of the hem against theback of the wearers leg and to leave the front of the hem and adjoiningundergarment leg portion loosely disposed in front of the wearers knee.

6. An improved undergarment having'tubula'r leg portions adapted toreach just below the knees of the wearer, a circumferential hem in thelower extremity of each leg portion, and a tape disposed within thecircumference of each hem and having its ends detachably secured atcircumferentially spaced points in the sides of the hem, the tape beingadapted to rest directly against the front of the wearers leg and todraw the back of the hem against the back of the wearers-legand to leavethe front of the hemand adjoining undergarment leg portion looselydisposed in front of thewearers knee. I I

FaANKni/ms'on REFERENCES orrED;

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kelly Feb. 9, 1932

